Woman locks 7-year-old in dog cage under Christmas tree as punishment: police

A Houston woman is accused of locking a 7-year-old girl in a dog cage underneath a Christmas tree, according to police.

Per ABC 7 News, "Rose Anderson appeared before a Harris County Magistrate on Sunday, though the incident reportedly happened 'on or around' Dec. 13."

Anderson, a single mother working three separate jobs, is related to the girl and was punishing her over her behavior at school, according to the report.

Anderson zip-tied the girl in place, duct-taped her mouth, and kicked her through the bars of the cage, police said. She faces charges of unlawful restraint.

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This is not the first incident in which police discovered a child had been zip-tied in a dog cage.

Last year, for example, officers in Philadelphia arrested the parents of a 6-year-old boy after he too was found in identical confinement, as well as two younger children wandering around crying in a partial state of undress.

Earlier this month, a Massachusetts man fleeing from police attempting to arrest him on drug charges tried to evade capture by jumping down the chimney like Santa Claus, only to get himself stuck and having to be rescued by his pursuers.